As I was born and brought up in the UK, I am delighted at the role British watchmakers are playing in the world of horology. I recently reviewed the fantastic and original Series One from OceanArc, which perfectly illustrates this point. The Schofield Watch Company is a relatively new brand that was formed only three years ago. In 2010 the dynamic Giles Ellis established the business in the idyllic location of Sussex, England. Within a small timescale they have released two original models. The elegant Signalman (in polished steel and DLC treated versions) and the superb Blacklamp Carbon.
Up until 2013 The Schofield Watch Company manufactured all their timepieces in Germany. This all changed with the creation of the Blacklamp Carbon, which is predominantly designed, assembled and constructed in England. The name and inspiration of the watch originates from an English lighthouse. Each of the limited edition watches can be personalised with the co-ordinates and name of the recipient’s favourite lighthouse.
Over the last few weeks I have had several conversations with Giles to collate information to write an in depth editorial. He is very passionate about the integrity and balance of good design. His approach clearly resonated with me, as this was the primary motivation behind the launch of Total Watch Reviews. The Blacklamp Carbon measures a respectable 44mm x 15mm, which is about average in todays market. These dimensions should appeal to a broad market and potentially attract female buyers. I would also imagine this watch would be very comfortable and lightweight to wear. Ultimately this is down to the sophisticated design and choice of material in production. Schofield have created and trademarked a carbon composite called Morta®. Apparently this carbon was inspired by an ancient material called Bog-Oak and took a year to develop.
Visually I love the appearance and texture of carbon especially as a watch material. In the last few months I have written editorials featuring two other fantastic carbon fiber watches, the Bell & Ross BR01-92 and Linde Werdelin SpidoLite II Tech Gold. The dial of Blacklamp Carbon is minimalistic and displays hours, minutes and seconds. A really cool feature of this watch is the illuminated ring (located beneath the sapphire crystal) that illuminates the dial. The material was developed by NASA and has a trademark name called Moonglow®.
To power the Blacklamp, Carbon Schofield have chosen to use the reliable Unitas ETA 6497-2. This manual winding caliber comprises 17 jewels and oscillates at a frequency of 18,000 vibrations per hour (2,5 Hz). The movement also is decorated with broad Geneva stripes and heavy rhodium plating. This mechanism can be viewed through the sapphire crystal case back. Functionally the watch features hours, minutes, small seconds and a power reserve of 46 hours.
The Blacklamp Carbon is limited to only 101 pieces and is priced at £9,900 (approximately $15,922).
